Environment, politics and Amazonian deforestation

Abstract

Amazonian deforestation has lately become an issue of broad political concern, and the question arises as to whether increased environmental awareness will serve to enhance regional land management. This article outlines the nature, extent and impact of deforestation in the region, and, in respect of the larger Amazonian territories of Brazil, Colombia and Peru, considers the political background of existing land management as a basis for assessing regional prospects. Some encouraging signs exist for long-term land management in Amazonia, but technical uncertainities and, more critically, sociopolitical constraints currently limit the achievement of effective land management. In this respect, present circumstances are least favourable in Peruvian and Brazilian Amazonia, but attention is drawn to encouraging Colombian attempts to resolve Amazonian problems through radical reform of Indian property rights.